Does the Format Serve Its Purpose?
The question in this title requires us first to ask, "What is the Purpose?" The format, invented and controlled as it was by NBC, should be expected to serve NBC's purposes. Those purposes, typically, are those that best serve commercial media interests in selling news coverage and advertising time. Those purposes include: generating short sound bites, pressuring candidates in the hope they will make notable gaffes, and inducing conflict and controversy that can lead to televised fireworks. For those purposes, the fast-moving format of the South Carolina debate seemed very well designed. A little humor, a little controversy, some awkward pauses, and some incomplete answers gave Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman plenty to talk about for quite some time following the debate. And don't forget the expectations game. With systematic regularity, the questions demanded the candidates to demonstrate not just or even primarily their grasp of policy issues, but rather their ability to meet the expectations laid out for them before the debate by NBC commentator Tim Russert.
